Is there some secret pain relief method that I have forgotten?

[KidsHappen]

I have been in extreme pain for three days now. I have taken all the meds that I can take. I have tried stretching and my physical therapy exercises, light walking, hot baths, hot packs, large quanities of alcohol, plenty of sleep and yet nothing is making a dent in the pain. It is like all of the muscles in my body are tightly clenched and I can't get them to release or relax at all. It hurts to even touch my muscles. Even my fingers hurt. I can only maintain one position for about 15 minutes before I have to get up and move and try something else. It hurts to sit, stand, lay. I can't get into my message therapist and chiro until Wednesday and if I keep taking my meds at these rates I am going to have to get a new prescription sooner than usual.

[MyLittleWonders]

:grouphug: Sounds miserable. :( What about magnesium? It can sometimes help to relax overly tight/tense/contracted muscles. And arnica (homeopathy) or traumeel (homeopathy) are both good for pain. Those are things that came to mind.

[Peela]

I agree with magnesium (high amounts- epsom salts baths are a good way to get that), and Traumeel (and maybe arnica too!).

It sounds a bit like my mum's fibromyalgia- is that what you have? She has been like that for years, but the pain shifts- it will be days or weeks in one spot more than others- then shift somewhere else.

Drinking enough water? As in, 2 litres a day? (Not that I normally think that is quite necessary but in your case, water might help flush your system out).

Can you access kava in the U.S.?

Have you been to a naturopath or Traditional Chinese doctor?

 

Poor thing. I hope you can find some relief, then find a way to deal with it forever. :grouphug:

[asta]

If you are still on Lamictal:

 

If your dose has gone up or down, it can cause severe body aches

 

Alcohol will wipe out your blood levels of the drug (which has analgesic properties on its own - who knew?)

 

NSAIDs can drop your levels, leading to a vicious circle

 

The question becomes one of what is causing your pain? You mention a chiro. Is there a pre-existing injury? Are you like this all of the time? Has something triggered this latest round? Were your meds working and now they aren't?

 

All of the standard stuff: weather changes, family dynamic shifts, holidays approaching, school burnout, mood drops, anxiety increases... the list is almost endless.

 

One of the better things I was told once upon a time wasn't for pain, but for mood shifting, but could work in a round about way: you get in the shower and have the water go onto the crown of your head as hot as you can stand it (slowly move it up to almost scalding). Once you feel like you're going to die from the heat (hyperbole), you switch it all at once to freezing cold. It's like a thermal version of ECT, apparently. (and no, it wasn't a quack who told me this, it was a PhD psychologist) I was pretty skeptical, but it works. Perhaps if you can get your brain to "switch phase", your body will follow.

 

HTH

 

 

a

[Mama_Rana]

yoga. Not just stretching but focused relaxation and breathing. Try visualizing your breath going into the area of pain. Similarly, self-hypnosis, though that might take you longer to learn than you have.

 

Good luck. I've lived with pain for longer than I would wish on anyone, and I totally empathize.

[katemary63]

Ice?

[HayesW]

Arnica. You can get ointment, gel, oil, or homeopathic pillules. It is amazing stuff. Works great on bruises as well.

[KidsHappen]

If you are still on Lamictal:

 

If your dose has gone up or down, it can cause severe body aches

 

Alcohol will wipe out your blood levels of the drug (which has analgesic properties on its own - who knew?)

 

NSAIDs can drop your levels, leading to a vicious circle

 

The question becomes one of what is causing your pain? You mention a chiro. Is there a pre-existing injury? Are you like this all of the time? Has something triggered this latest round? Were your meds working and now they aren't?

 

All of the standard stuff: weather changes, family dynamic shifts, holidays approaching, school burnout, mood drops, anxiety increases... the list is almost endless.

 

One of the better things I was told once upon a time wasn't for pain, but for mood shifting, but could work in a round about way: you get in the shower and have the water go onto the crown of your head as hot as you can stand it (slowly move it up to almost scalding). Once you feel like you're going to die from the heat (hyperbole), you switch it all at once to freezing cold. It's like a thermal version of ECT, apparently. (and no, it wasn't a quack who told me this, it was a PhD psychologist) I was pretty skeptical, but it works. Perhaps if you can get your brain to "switch phase", your body will follow.

 

HTH

 

 

a

 

Asta,

 

I haven'y had any changes in my Lamictal at all and I have been on th e same bottle for awhile. I do take a prescripion NSAID but I have never had a problem with them before. I have fibromyalgia on top of everything and sometimes is seems that my muscles hurt but usually there is some precipitating factor like try to do too much yard work at one time, clean the whole house at the same time, paint a room quickly or make a back to back trip to my dd's in a short amount of time. This time though it I can't seem to pin down anything unusual that I have done and the pain is much worse than normal. I am staying well hydrated and taking plenty of magnesium evenly spaced thoughout the day. I tried two nights where I had drinks and two night where I didn't. Niether seem to have mucu effect on the pain, I just cared a little less after a drink. I am perplexed :confused: and in pain and to tell you the truth feeling a little bit usless. I can't even sit still long enough to watch tv or read a book. Very Frustrating. :glare:

[KidsHappen]

One of the better things I was told once upon a time wasn't for pain, but for mood shifting, but could work in a round about way: you get in the shower and have the water go onto the crown of your head as hot as you can stand it (slowly move it up to almost scalding). Once you feel like you're going to die from the heat (hyperbole), you switch it all at once to freezing cold. It's like a thermal version of ECT, apparently. (and no, it wasn't a quack who told me this, it was a PhD psychologist) I was pretty skeptical, but it works. Perhaps if you can get your brain to "switch phase", your body will follow.

 

HTH

 

 

a

 

How you tried this? Does it work for you? I am hesitant to try it because I find even tepid water extremely painful. I can handle exremely hot water but just a few seconds of cool water is too much. Is there any reason I couldn't do it the other way around? I might could do a few minutes of cool if I knew I woud go to extremly hot afterwards. What do you think? Would that work

[Unicorn.]

I'll third the magnesium. If your calcium and mag. levels are out of balance, it can cause severe muscle cramping. I hope you feel some relief soon!

[Tap]

Have you tried capsaicin? I don't know if your pain is nerve pain or not but it made a Huge difference in my shingles pain last year.

 

I had shingles on my face and it was sooooo painful. I had blisters all over one side of my face and on my scalp. I was already on pain meds for my back and this pain was coming up and over those meds. I read up on capsaicin and decided to try it because I was in agony. I put the cream all over my face. It burned like hell. It was worse than the shingles pain, but once it was on, I couldn't do anything else. When I woke up the next day, the shingles pain was all but gone, and never came back any where close to that intensity.

 

Now, obviously I wouldn't suggest putting it all over your body, but maybe give it a try on an extremity to see if it can help. I have read that once someone starts using it, the burning feeling from the capsaicin dissipates.

 

This explains why it works on pain.

 

 

As a side note....Lyrica helped me a bit but it made me to sleepy to function. My doctor put me on a newer med called Savella. It results in higher levels of epinephrine than the Lyrica. I was SOOOOOOOOOO much better on Savella. It was a God send. My pain specialist says people have fewer side effects on it and are getting better pain relief. It is only FDA approved for fibromyalgia, but it worked great on my sciatica and L4-L5 herniation nerve pain in my legs.

[asta]

How you tried this? Does it work for you? I am hesitant to try it because I find even tepid water extremely painful. I can handle exremely hot water but just a few seconds of cool water is too much. Is there any reason I couldn't do it the other way around? I might could do a few minutes of cool if I knew I woud go to extremly hot afterwards. What do you think? Would that work

 

Yes, I've done it, yes it works. I don't see why it couldn't work in reverse, as it should be the change in temperature that matters. It's worth a shot.

 

 

I am perplexed :confused: and in pain and to tell you the truth feeling a little bit usless. I can't even sit still long enough to watch tv or read a book. Very Frustrating. :glare:

 

Got it.

 

Feeling up for a

? No, really, don't watch that... Or necessarily take it. Call your Pdoc instead. It sounds like you've shifted beyond the buffer zone of your meds.

 

 

a

[Teachin'Mine]

Is your house on the cool side? Are you ever cold at night?

 

If you're cold and wrapping up tightly in blankets to stay warm, your muscles are contracting and making the fibromyalgia worse. Try taking a hot shower before bed, dressing warmly, and using enough covers so you don't have to tighten muscles in an attempt to stay warm. You can ask your hubby to get into your side of the bed while you're in the shower so he can warm up your side for you. If he agrees - that's true love. :D

 

I hope this makes a difference. :)

[AuntieM]

It sounds like you've shifted beyond the buffer zone of your meds.

 

 

a

 

This is what I was thinking, this is what happens to my mom. Different ailments, but suddenly previously effective levels of meds and/or previously successful drug combos just become ineffective. Have you called your doc?

 

:grouphug: (a gentle one, so it doesn't hurt ya!)